The Slave
by samsolace
Summary: Light little fic that comes after THE RACE. What the winner does to the loser. Meredith and Alex centered just because I like them. All the interns involved. Written for FUN, HUMOR, LAUGHTER.
1. Loss Boss

_**I love it that this story still has readers every week. It would mean a tremendous amount to me if you'd leave a review or two as you read. I do check for them periodically and they always make my day. If it was worth reading, surely it's worth a comment?  
**_

_**Meredith and Alex friendship fic. All interns appear. I wrote this for the FUN/HUMOR section so I messed around a lot with alliteration and rapping. It's a thing... This story is in the same AU as The Intern and The Race. It is essentially a sequel to The Race, but can be read without reading The Race. However this story contains major spoilers to The Race.**_

_**Rating PG. I disclaim ownership of Grey's Anatomy.**_

**The Slave**

**Chapter 1: Loss Boss**

"Alex, come on, that bowel resection made us late!" Meredith called imperatively from the doorway of the intern locker room.

"Alright, alright, keep your knickers on," Karev said testily, "On second thought, don't. It has been forever since I've seen, let alone touched, a nice piece of..."

"Alex!" Meredith laughed, even as she remonstrated him.

"C'mon Mer, let me off the hook, just once," he whined, looking all boy band cute.

The other first year interns sprinkled through the locker room listened in nosy interest. No one had been able to winkle out of either Karev or Grey what he was paying her for losing the big race. Speculation ran rampant through the hospital like wildfire. Grieg, a sixth year general surgeon, had been known to noisily state Grey was probably making Karev wash her dishes, her car, and her toilet. That's what he would do. The women in the crowd who hadn't been able to catch the handsome young doctor's eye, thought along more x-rated lines... _Mm, stripping him down and making him... well it could involve a velvet whip. _The men who wouldn't mind catching the cute, sexy little fish that Dr. Shepherd threw back, fantasized about being of service to Dr. Grey in more ways than one. Everyone had an opinion, no one had a clue.

"What hook is that exactly?" asked Cristina snidely, wadding her hair up on top of her head so she could shower, "Do tell."

"Yeah, where do you two sneak off to every chance you get?" asked Izzie, curiosity eating her alive, as she changed into pink cords.

"Like we're going to tell you guys," snorted Karev sourly, "this is humiliating enough as it is."

"Alex! Now!" called the honey haired Hun humiliator.

"You're just lucky the Nazi said Meredith had to do all her own work in spite of the race, Karev. Otherwise you'd be up to your eyebrows in enemas," O'Malley commented, jealous that Alex was spending time with Mer. What did women see in the Ass?

"Nice imagery, O'Malley," Alex said sarcastically as he hoisted his duffel and headed reluctantly for the door and his tiny time tyrant.

Talk buzzed behind the two as they left the locker room and headed for the outer doors together, leaving their friends and the other interns stumped at their unusual behavior. Of course, after the race, the unusual was considered usual for these two.

Alex decided a new approach was in order. He slung his duffel over his left shoulder and slung his right arm over his loss boss. Neither saw the original portraits of perfection themselves, the He-She-Shepherds, fall in behind them from a narrow side hall.

"O Mistress Mighty Mite, I genuflect, I bend my knee, I acknowledge yo' Guts O' Greatness."

The She arched an inquiring pointed brow at the He. She'd seen the SGH employees' pooled photobucket of a thousand shots of the race finale and its mud wrestling aftermath. She'd seen the sigs and the wallpaper. She smirked, intrigued to know exactly what was going on now. The pair of miscreants really were good for a laugh. The He felt a pang over his heart at the carelessly casual, flagrantly familiar, famously friendly interaction between Alex and Meredith. She'd gone back to ignoring _him_ most of the time again. It hurt. When would it stop hurting?

Meredith looked up at Alex's pretty chiseled face in amusement. He really was a bad, sad brat. She liked him now more than ever.

"Puh-lease, don't make me do it," Karev groaned in real pain. The Shepherds exchanged a quizzical look. What was Grey torturing Karev with? It had to be pretty awful.

"You don't have to do anything," Meredith said politely, "I can't make you pay your debt. Either you're that guy who pays his bets or... you're that guy who doesn't. And I know which guy you are, so suck it up, Nasty Knave, you're doing it. And so am I."

"C'mon Mer, ask me for something easier – I know... I'll be your complete and utter sex slave. Yeah, every night for a month. Anything you want, and I do mean anything! Whipped cream, chocolate sauce, edible panties. Whatever. Okay, I'll guarantee it. Two orgasms a night with your name on them – and you don't even have to do the tequila thing. I'm a sure bet. You couldn't get more inappropriate than me... well maybe _you_ could," Karev knew he was fighting a losing battle but he was obliged to deliver a proper procedural protest of planetary proportions to prop up his pride.

Meredith and Alex stiffened at the snorting laugh behind them. They both knew that unfeminine laugh. Alex dropped his arm and the two of them looked over their shoulders. Addison Montgomery Shepherd was trying hard not to laugh and failing miserably. Derek Shepherd's stormy dark blue eyes were filled with a sharp pain and a jealous glint as he watched the easy camaraderie between Meredith and Karev. He'd wanted Karev to take his arm off Meredith – now! It didn't help that Addison was endlessly amused, that the whole hospital was endlessly amused, that Meredith herself looked endlessly amused. He thought of Karev eating Meredith's panties while Meredith wore them and felt his blood pressure rise.

Meredith gave her lips only fake smile and asked if the lofty attendings needed anything from the lowly interns. Addison returned an equally fake smile, ante upped with a display of her sharp incisors like two poisonous fangs. No, the lofty were leaving, not leashing. The lowly were free to frolic. Carry on. The rival racers watched the perfect pair out of sight and breathed a sigh of relief.

"We have to be more careful. I don't think we actually said anything revealing but you and I both have cause to know this place is one big earpiece," Meredith frowned and felt the familiar dark emptiness wash through her at the sight of Addison clutching Derek's arm in her talons.

Alex looked from the shallow, shattered Shepherds back to his Mistress of Distress and sighed. He'd pay the price tonight. He couldn't keep trying to weasel out, not with that look on her face.

"Okay, you win, I will not tonight breach my fruity duty, my beauty."

He was paid back instantly when Meredith gave a burst of surprised laughter at his extreme silliness. She shook her head at her mal pal and linked her arm through his, "Let's go."


	2. Bet Pet

**The Slave**

**Chapter 2: Bet Pet**

O'Malley trailed the pack. Karev followed Bailey on rounds, then Stevens, then Yang and Grey with their heads together, just in front of him. He speculatively watched the others, particularly Karev and Grey. Alex was noticeably favoring his left ribs and Meredith had a slight limp on the right. What the...? His mind rippled with all the possibilities of how they'd gotten injured last night after rushing out together. Roller blading?... Gymnastics?... Moving furniture?... Falling?... Haiku?... Wait... haiku?... Can peeps be injured by convoluted haiku?...

Sure they can, everyone knew that. Haiku was dynamite, dangerous, deadly even, and damn distracting. (He tried to divert himself from his real thought that Meredith was jumping Alex at his apartment, while wearing roller blades, performing sexual gymnastics, shaking all the furniture, while falling on him with an unnatural fervor, all the while reciting erotic poetry to her bet pet in her soft, sexy _Meredith_ voice.)

"O'Malley! Report! What is with you people, today?" Bailey's stentorian tones knocked George up side the head. He fumbled for his notes and quickly started presenting the patient's history. Yang smirked at his obvious discomfiture. _O dilly dally, O'Malley,_ she thought, in a silly sally.

Karev yawned and Meredith, catching it, followed suit. Bailey glowered at both of them, her deep brown eyes snapping. "You two better be up on every procedure today, that is all I have to say!"

"Dr. Bailey..." they said protestingly, innocently.

"Shut it. Nasty!" Bailey led the way to the next patient ignoring them. Alex looked at Meredith with pleading puppy dog eyes, behind Bailey's back, begging to be released from bet pet bondage. She smiled her best perky cheerleader smile and shook her head "no". She had to cover her mouth with her hand to smother her laugh when Alex rolled his eyes back in his head and stuck his tongue out the side of his mouth in a fake death paroxysm. Bailey turned and Alex was suavely glacial again. The other interns marveled at his speed and timing.

Bailey eyed him with a gimlet glare, "Yeah," she said softly, threateningly, "I know you're passing sassing behind my back. Keep it up and the nurses will have a new recruit to clean bed pans, Karev."

Alex and Meredith faded to the back of the pack after that whack, in self preservation. Cristina was amused the diabolical duo was dashed in the dirt. She hadn't yet forgotten the blue dyed day spent smelling horrific (like a skunk that had eaten rotten eggs and lived in a backed up sewer), that Meredith and Alex had forced on them all after the Race. Izzie was lonely that Mer seemed to have as radical a relationship with Alex now as she did with Cristina. All she had was George, and George was... Ge... George. George was envious of Alex to the point he wanted to gnash his 'nads off... _well... not really... I mean... ew..._, he thought... _gnarly._

Bailey silently, secretly laughed at the fallout from The Race, even as she wore her best grumpy mask. Meredith whipping Alex's heinie and then making him stick to their bet was just what the doctor ordered to bring him down three or four pegs. She couldn't have arranged it better herself.

_Make him pay, Grey, every day, in every way, that's what I say._

"Yang, deliver labs. No. No back talking. You have had way more than your share of surgeries, particularly heart surgeries, in the last few weeks. I wonder why?! Your boyfriend will have to do without you today, as difficult as that will be for him," Bailey said in a sarcastic, disapproving voice as Cristina cringed,"There are other doctors who want to learn cardiothoracic surgery in this hospital."

"O'Malley, Pit. Stevens, Code team. Karev and Grey, since you two are a cozy rosy posie, the He-She-Shepherds have a case together today that needs two interns." The others groaned in envy, "GO! BLOW!" Bailey growled when they all just stood there. They scattered like a covey of quail after a blast of buckshot. Bailey experienced visceral satisfaction at the speed they 'fleed' her bead.

o-o-o

"You had fun last night, admit it, Alex," Meredith teased her fuddy duddy buddy on their way to the elevator.

"No, I won't. You can make me go, still, but I won't spill," Alex refused to give in but she could tell from his sideways grin that he had had fun with her last night. She was thrilled. She'd thought long and hard about what she wanted from him and it was paying off in a great way. Alex rocked even when he mocked.

The elevator doors slid open and they stepped inside. Three of Dr. Westheimer's first year interns occupied the space already. With salacious curiosity they looked back and forth between Karev and Grey. Alex took a big breath, and braced for the barrage of billingsgate banter he'd have to endure from the brood.

"So Karev, are you cooked? Is it still a rarity... or are you well done yet?" was the less than witty, sarcastically envious opening from Dr. Rufant. He would make a pedestrian, unimaginative surgeon at best, Meredith thought.

"Cooked – you could say that," Karev paused dramatically, "Or you could say creamed...," Alex licked his lips lusciously while stripping Grey with his eyes, "...instead, of course, it's probably more accurate – well done, well beaten and well creamed," Purring wicked double and triple entendres, Karev put on band boy sexy haughtiness and stared down his nose at Rufant.

Everyone knew Rufant had had a crush on Meredith second only to O'Malley's from the start. Meredith smiled mysteriously as the three Westies slid their eyes towards her. She stared into space, above it all, the reincarnation of a deaf empress. Let Alex imply anything he wanted, it was okay with her. Alex crossed his arms over his chest, ahead in the game.

Before the bell rang for another round, the door slid open on the next floor and the Chief walked on to the elevator along with the He-She -Shepherds. All five of the interns respectfully stepped to the back of the ride. Meredith slid behind the four men, using their bulk to hide from the He and the She, in an automatic reaction. She peeked out around Dr. Lesley's muscular shoulder and sighed in forbidden infatuation. McDreamy had to be the handsomest man alive. He slouched against the elevator's side rail and just – looked edible... saucy... scrumptious...

Alex stepped on her foot. _Dude, you're salivating. The jerk is married. _

Meredith grimaced in pain. _I know, I can't help it. This is why you have to pay the bet. Someone has to help me._

Alex grinned even though his ribs hurt. _Your wish, as you know, is my command, 'fraidy lady._

"So, Karev, Grey, I understand Dr. Bailey made you give up your first lost bet payment plan. What have you chosen instead, Dr. Grey, to charge Dr. Karev with?" asked the clueless Chief, "You can tell us. It was a Great Race, a Great Race," he chuckled in memory even as everyone else in the elevator froze, staring at Meredith, knowing that they were about to get the goods straight from the racehorse's mouth.

Derek's gut clenched. So did Meredith's. She gaped. He didn't want to know about how she'd made Karev her boy toy. Meredith didn't want to reveal how she'd twisted the Race to her own dark ends. Derek blankly searched frantically for a distraction while Addison stared avariciously at the cornered grey mouse, her reptilian eyes glittering, her tongue flicking her lips. Alex slammed an unseen elbow into Rufant's soft gut and with an "umph" he dropped a dozen fat folders all over the floor. Karev apologized profusely for "bumping" the bumpkin. All the interns scrambled to grab paper just before the elevator slid to a stop and the doors clanged open. Derek leapt for freedom. Meredith and Alex sprinted out behind him, leaving the Chief and the She at the starting gate.

"Heh, heh, heh, guess we have to be quicker, if we want to compete with these champion racers, eh, Addie?" said the Chief of Clueless Country.

"Yes, Richard, we do, don't we?" drawled the She, watching her husband hustle, herself click clacking down the corrider in Jimmy Choos.


	3. Mud Bud

**The Slave**

**Chapter 3: Mud Bud**

Dr. Grey and Dr. Karev washed their hands and arms in the scrub room after the elaborate _en situ _neurological surgery on a seven month fetus. They were both stoked from the great double surgery they'd gotten to attend. Meredith had held retractors for Addison and Alex had held a clamp for Derek. Pretty lucky for a pair of first years.

"You know what tonight is, Alex," Meredith said crinkling her nose cutely in anticipation.

"Yeah, I know," he said glumly, his lip almost stuck out as he pouted. He was all male model hot. Calvin Klein would appreciate that pose.

She elaborately looked right, then left, making sure they were alone, "Aw, Alex, line dancing should be fun," then she chortled at the thought. Picturing Alex in a pair of Texas shit-kickers wearing a stetson was delightful. This was going to be fun! Enough with the sadness and depression over the Dreamster Dumpster.

"Dude... me... Alex Karev... line dancing. And last night..._ tangoing!" _he spat the word out as if it were spoiled milk.

"I didn't mean to slam into your ribs so hard, Alex, I slipped," she inserted apologetically, trying not to giggle at the memory of jerking back towards Alex on the beat and throwing her head back as their instructor commanded, only to fall and bang Alex hard in the ribs. She'd been batting her eyes at him all tangoey at the time.

He said sarcastically, "You're supposed to let the guy lead, Mer. I've wrestled athletes who were less competitive than you. Anyway, the time before that, it was _waltzing! __Waltzing!_ We waltzed for four hours for God's sake," he moaned, his manliness compromised, "Do you have any idea how much the other interns and residents are going to laugh at me when they find out I'm doing all this and there is no sex involved?!"

"Well, you really didn't like the black belt shopping we did. I thought you'd go for the dancing because it was more physical than the standing around holding my packages while I tried on clothes thing," Meredith grinned perkily with no sign of remorse for torturing her mud bud.

Karev involuntarily grinned at the memory of looking at Meredith in all those hot flirtatious clothes. She'd said she wanted to change her image to something a little more _"Charmed"_ and a little less boring doctor. Whew! She'd done that. Everything she'd bought was hot, sexy, and cute. Her new clothes bared her tummy, and dipped low to show off her sexy deep cleavage. One tiny skirt's waistband was low enough to hint at the shadowed cleavage in the middle of her bottom. The colors she'd chosen were hot and fresh. All her new stuff was just right to drive a guy mad with lust. He wondered again why she thought she needed the plumage. She was already hot. He cast a not so surreptitious glance at her luscious breasts. He admitted he did like a nice pair of... mm-mm.

"And you were surprisingly great at it. Who would have thought you'd already had all those dancing lessons as a boy?" She grinned in satisfaction, not noticing his typical guy-like, testosterone driven thoughts.

"Yeah, well, Dad was a musician and Mom taught dance. She used me sometimes as a fill-in because there was never enough male pigeons for all the girls. This is so screwy, Mer," Karev growled, drying his hands, "When people find out, what do I say? '_Meredith really got her jollies from using me as some whipped eunuch boyfriend?'" _

"Alex! I am not using you that way! Okay, yeah, I'm not having sex with you, but I wasn't before, either. You are being a gentleman, paying off a debt to a lady, and you have thirty days of active duty to fill, so if you skip a day, you just have to make it up," She put her nose in the air, above it all.

"Ye-ah... see... that doesn't work for me. I _am_ a whipped eunuch boyfriend, _your_ whipped eunuch boyfriend, Meredith, admit it, and don't rub in the active duty thing again either. I was an idiot to agree to it when Bailey made us change the bet," he admitted with melancholic pathos, hanging his head and sticking out his bottom lip. Then he ruined it by slyly peeking sideways to see his affect on her.

"Ah-ha! Alex, you big faker! You _are_ having a good time! Way better than stupid enemas and vaginals! Besides, I like having you as my unique eunuch boyfriend. Ha, ha, ha, you're mine, all mine," she teased him unmercifully, gloating with a wicked laugh, "I don't mean to offend, boyfriend, apprehend, but I'm keeping you. Get used to it."

Alex's eyes had widened at the end there as he looked over her shoulder. Meredith got it too late and cringed. Who was there, and what had he heard? She turned slowly.

Derek stood frozen in the doorway. His world was crashing in on him. He was losing her... what? He'd already chosen, hadn't he? He had, but he hated listening to her laughing and teasing with another man.

"Eunuch boyfriend? Meredith, as I recall you were always highly interested in intact male anatomy," he tried to be light and suggestive and he almost carried it off... almost,"Are you two dating now?"

"No, I wish," Alex burst out disgustedly, ready to complain to another guy, who'd at least commiserate, even if it were McDreamy, and even if Meredith was frantically trying to signal him to silence, "I'm her scut boy toy who has to do all the torture boyfriend things, like changing a flat tire on her car last week. You know, taking the coffee black, without getting any sugar or cream for it. You wouldn't believe all the stuff she's made me do. I even have to carry out the trash every time we go to her house."

The She walked in to scrub up. Alex looked from the snotty hottie to Shepherd and shook his head, "On second thought, maybe you would, having a ball and chain and all. This is probably exactly what marriage is like – all being treated like a rookie, while she withholds the nookie. Am I right?"

The He tilted his head to the side in a considering pose and started to nod. The She just turned her head to spear him with her bright blue wife eye lasers and he subsided, looking at the floor. She turned back to the sink and smiled wifely evilly to herself. Meredith slowly let out her breath. For a minute there it had looked like the She was going to Linda Blair it.

_Whoa! Mer, too much late night television with Karev. Watch it._

"Yup," said Alex under his breath, looking back and forth between the Shepherds, "just as I thought, lookie, cookie, no nookie for the rookie," he coughed the last word, "whipped!"

Derek started to reply again and was again stopped by a mere dirty look from the six foot redhead. Alex signaled Mer, and the two escaped as soon as they could. They trudged off to post op to check on their patients.

"Mer, really, why are we dancing our already tight and trim rears off?" Alex pleaded, "What's the point? Now, the women's self-defense class last week, where I had to be the pretend bad guy and you lambasted me every ten minutes for an hour, that I get. That's getting my ass whipped for a good cause. But, all this ballroom? What's up with that? Besides giving you blisters and me bruised ribs."

Meredith looked at him hesitantly. She sighed and tucked a stray honey colored lock behind her ear. She didn't want to confess, but she supposed she couldn't hold out much longer.

"Mer? Me-er? What is it?" Alex stopped and pulled her slight self around to look at him. He caught her chin on the edge of his hand and raised her face to his. She couldn't meet his eyes. She looked uncomfortably at all the people milling around them. Alex looked down the hall and spotted a linen closet.

"Come on," Alex said heading for the closet. Meredith didn't resist. She just let him tug her into the tiny, dim space. Alex closed the door and looked at her expectantly.

"Hey, don't look like that. Why are you suddenly all sad again?" Alex asked her.

"Alex, I want to stop feeling bad all the time. I... I've been doing better, you know I have, but every time I see Derek with that... woman... okay, okay, yeah, his wife," she told the harsh truth when confronted by Karev's raised eyebrows, "I miss him. I miss him all the time. I am so stupid. I thought I would have moved on by now, but no, here I am still wallowing!"

"Good, I approve, move on, so?" Alex said agreeably.

"So, filling in the "McDreamy hole" in my heart with sex didn't work. I'm using your payback to me to fill in that hole with all the other stuff besides sex," Meredith shamefully hung her head, "I'm sorry, you're right, I really have been using you as my sexless safe boyfriend. I wanted to feel what it is like to have a guy around for all the other stuff... stuff I've always somehow missed out on... stuff like having a guy who'll bowl partners with me, go to the movies with me, take me to self-defense martial arts lessons, help me pick out clothes that are hot, someone who'll be my date to..." Meredith stopped. She just couldn't confess this part. She looked away.

"Hey, you. Come back," he said quietly, "Your date to ...?" Alex turned her face back to him.

"Oh, Alex," Meredith hugged her friend and laid her head on his chest for speechless comfort. Alex held her loosely. She was fighting to get the words out. Whatever it was was emotionally enormous for her.

"There's a ball," she finally got out in a tiny voice, looking up into his handsome features,"I want to go to the ball."

"Wha... What? A ball? As in ballroom – not ballgame?! You want me to escort you to a ballroom _dance_? And _dance_? In _public_?" Alex was appalled, "Meredith, you know I'd do anything for you, but not that, no. Meredith, no. I am not Prince Charming and you, you're not Cinderella. No... no... I mean it... Mer... don't look at me like that... not the genie eyes! I'm not giving in... no!"

"Alex, please, Captain Brewer and the guys at the firehouse have invited me to their biannual firefighter/police/paramedic ball. It raises money for their widows and orphans funds. I can't go alone. No... I don't want to go alone," Meredith pleaded for Alex to understand.

"Mer..." Alex was still shaking his head no.

"I've never been to a dance in my life, Alex. I spent most of my time in boarding schools, some good, most awful. I've always had to study... study and nothing else. I've never been to homecoming or prom or debutante balls or ambassadorial balls at the UN. I was always excluded, never invited. I've been invited to this ball and I'm going. I want to dress up and dance and have fun, for a change. I'm done being pitiful. You know, I could hire an escort, I suppose," Meredith said that last to herself in sudden determination, "Okay, I get it. This was a bad idea, coercing you into taking me. I'm sorry. I just wanted someone I liked and trusted as my partner. You are now officially off the hook. You still have to go to my self-defense class with me, but that's all."

Meredith turned to open the closet door and escape. A well formed surgeon's hand held the door shut above her head. She slowly turned around.

"Not so fast. So, all this was really escort service. So, I'm a hired gun. Mm mm, better than eunuch boyfriend, but not by much. Let's get something straight, lady, you are not hiring some guy (a guy who is probably keeping body parts in his basement, with your luck) to take you. I'm taking you. We'll dance and have fun. You'll be the belle of the ball. I'm down with this. Alex Karev pays his debts. What do you take me for, a deadbeat?" Alex backtracked, appalled again, this time at the risks she was willing to take to have an escort to the dance.

"Alex!" she squealed like a fangirl, "Thank you! Thank you, my brave slave. You are the best." She hugged him around his neck and kissed his chiseled jaw.

"Ye-ah, yeah, I'm going to regret this... I _already_ regret this." he said ruefully, "I can't believe I'm in the closet with a hot babe and I haven't even copped a feel," he shook his head at himself.

Meredith smirked and then laughed at his disgruntled expression. He pretended like he'd swat her bottom, so she happily skedaddled out of there before she pushed him too hard.


	4. Brave Slave

**_Thank you everyone who reads and especially reviews my happy little fic. I have such fun with these two. There is something to be said for no angst. I know my style changes with every chapter. I'm just having fun trying different things. Please tell me what you think. sam _**

**The Slave**

**Chapter 4: Brave Slave**

"Umph," Karev hit the deck – again.

Meredith rubbed her sore elbow. She'd just learned how to leverage a man over her hip if he grabbed her from behind. Of course, she was so small, the instructor had taken pains to teach her postures and angles for maximum leverage and surprise, requiring minimum muscle. The _sensei_ cautioned her repeatedly to scream and run, before she was caught and after she broke a captor's grip. He made sure she understood that vigilance at all times, and caution about where she parked and walked, and general preparedness designed for preventing getting grabbed in the first place were essential and her best strategy in the first place. Now, he grunted approval of her latest throw and accepted her bow.

Meredith knelt next to Alex, who hadn't even bothered to try to rise. He groaned and moaned he couldn't do it one more time. She'd beat him to a pulp with her tiny, supremely effectual, fists. She laughed. Alex tried to hang on to his mopes but couldn't when she laughed. Her laughter had always sounded like wind chimes to him. It always cheered him up.

"No fair," he groaned.

"What?" she asked.

"Using the laugh against me. I'm already down and out. No need to kick me." She laughed again and wind chimes tickled his spine. She tugged his hand to pull him upright.

"Come on, Alex, we have a foxtrot lesson in thirty minutes and then I'm buying you dinner. Okay?" she was just too chipper. It was making him nuts. Where was the dark and twisty girl he knew and admired? Oh yeah, she was the one getting a kick out of outfitting him in a brand new Donna Karan monkey suit. She'd bought it for him and had it custom tailored to fit. She insisted he'd need a beautiful tux as a political asset as an up and coming plastic surgeon. She absolutely refused to let him buy it himself. She said if he did then he'd have a vote on what to buy and she'd already made up her mind what would suit him. She wrinkled her nose adorably when she punned. Besides, he was her kept man, don't forget.

His shirt was a white on white embroidered linen cotton blend. The collar was designed and finished so that he wouldn't have to wear a tie. At least that was cool. Thank God for small favors. She'd even insisted on brand new shoes and socks and underwear. He'd be wearing silk boxers for the first time. He snorted at himself, brave slave indeed.

Alex let Mer drag him through another foxtrot lesson. At least it was short, only an hour. He tried to pout but he was actually starting to get the hang of all this. The better he became the more fun he had. Besides the workout was fantastic. And Meredith was fun and cute. She'd actually chattered to him a couple of times like a normal girl. He grinned at her now as he guided her around the dance floor in a smooth foxtrot to an old Sinatra tune. Who would have thought the foxtrot could be fun? Their instructor kept adding new twists to the basic steps of the basic ballroom dances so it kept their sessions lively. It also helped that Meredith had finally learned to trust him enough to let him lead. Wrestling baby girl for control every step had been humiliating, especially if she won for a few steps. Picture it. Aagh!

The music came to an end and switched into a fast American swing tune. Alex grabbed Mer around her narrow waist and swung her around and around before he flung her out to the end of his fingertips. Her wind chime laughter pealed out and Alex grinned, even as he whipped her back into his frame for a sizzling hot dance. He loved her laugh. It was all worth it if Mer was laughing.

The sweaty, hot disheveled pair finally headed for a late dinner, starved to death. By mutual consent they headed for the nearest place that was still serving. They went to the diner near the hospital, just down the street from Joe's Emerald City Bar. They slid into the huge booth in the corner without thought. This is where they always sat with Bailey's other interns when they grabbed an off campus breakfast, lunch or dinner at any hour of the day or night.

Alex decided he was tired of Seattle's sushi, fish and Asian cuisine. He ordered the largest steak on the menu along with two baked potatoes, grilled mixed vegetables, extra rolls, and a mixed green salad. He thought of all the fresh corn on the cob from home and salivated. Couldn't get that here. Meredith listened to him bemused, then ordered a grilled cheese, fries and a salad.

"And a strawberry milkshake, please," she added as an afterthought.

"Me too," Alex called.

They grinned at each other. Meredith loved strawberry ice cream and they'd shared a lot of it over the last couple of weeks.

"So, when are you going to lower the boom on the others, O Mighty Mite?" Alex asked pointedly, "Don't you think they'll need some notice?"

"I've been trying to find the right time," Meredith explained, "I think the others will be okay, but Cristina..."

"Yang will blow a gasket when she finds out," Alex smirked his evil Grinch grin, "She still hasn't gotten over that day of McStinky McSmurf we forced on them after the Race." Alex remembered how Mer and he had sprayed Yang, Stevens and O'Malley with foul smelling chemicals and blue dye in retaliation for the threesome ratting out their race to the entire hospital.

"You're the one who called Cristina a McSmurf! I had nothing to do with that!" Meredith exclaimed defensively. Then she sat back as the waitress returned with two shakes and two salads. Alex and Meredith almost fell on their salads.

"Of course she's the one who gives everyone else a McName so she probably deserved it. McSmurf," Meredith chuckled at how irritated that name still made Cristina. Alex still poked that anthill with a stick every chance he got, "I guess she's lucky it was the McSmurf that stuck and not the McStinky.

"Meredith you're avoiding again," Karev snorted, "They're going to have to know. Especially as you had the Chief draft us all as goodwill ambassadors from the hospital to the charity ball. How'd you do that anyway?" Karev speculated as he often did on Mer's relationship with the Chief.

"Hey, better you don't know, then you can truthfully say you know nothing and I'll take the heat for all this alone," Meredith advised her bud, "I just wanted them to be able to go if they want to."

"Yeah, right. You know as well as I, that Yang will completely buckle to the Chief's lightest suggestion."

They looked up as more food was placed in front of them. Alex sighed in relief and attacked his steak. Meredith sat for a moment watching him. He really was eating as if there was no tomorrow. Had she really worked him that hard? Her thoughts were interrupted by someone sliding in next to her.

"Hey, you guys, what are you doing here? You left work hours ago," asked O'Malley, stealing one of her French fries, as Izzie slid in next to Alex.

"Hi, George, Izzie," greeted Meredith. Alex merely grunted and kept eating. He slapped Izzie's hand away from his second dinner roll. Then he scooched closer to Meredith pulling his plates with him. Her thigh was firm and warm against his. He decided he liked copping a thigh feel. Meredith eyeballed him and let it slide, turning back to her grilled cheese.

The newsome twosome ordered a late diner dinner and sat back with sighs over their twelve hour shift that had been stretched by patient crises to fifteen. Alex and Meredith were lucky. They only had a twelve hour shift and their patients let them leave on time. What had they been doing for the last three hours after a twelve hour shift? They looked hot and sweaty. Hm. And were they playing footsie under the table? They were sitting way too close, in both Izzie's and George's opinion. Wicked little gleams of jealousy burned in both their chests. Alex and Meredith had become used to touching each other from dancing and martial arts so they didn't think much of it after the initial 'ooh thighs' moment.

"Here comes McSmurf," Alex murmured in Mer's ear looking for all the world like he was getting a little nibble in. She shivered at his hot breath in her ear, "tell them."

"Move over," said Cristina brusquely to George, sliding in beside him, "I'm beyond hungry. That was a killer surgery with Dr. Hart."

Izzie accepted her drink from the waitress and raised her eyebrows at Yang, "Somehow, Cristina, those two words, killer and surgery, just don't belong together."

"Trust me, killer technique, killer instincts, killer endurance. The woman is amazing in a weird killer way," for Cristina this was a rave review. They all stared at her. No one spoke, picturing the juxtaposition of Yang and Hart, the hard as nails, sarcastic, ambition queen and the vicious, beautiful, cardio resident.

"...What? Stop with the stares," Yang pretended all was well and ordered food.

Meredith nibbled her fries and contemplated her friends. Alex pressed his hard thigh into hers and tilted his head significantly towards the others when she glanced at him. She frowned at him and drew a breath... and then blew it out. Alex chidingly pursed his lips at her, tsking her. She flushed and looked down.

"Okay, so Meredith and I had a great time tonight after work, right, babe?" Alex meticulously cut his steak and ate it. Now the stares were directed at him. Babe? Huh? Was Karev about to spill the beans? The gruesome twosome were definitely cozy. Secret assignations along with the united front they'd maintained against the hospital grapevine seemed to be making them very close. Meredith's flushed cheeks and inability to look anyone in the eye made everyone uneasy.

"Meredith?" Cristina's voice was incredulous and piercing, "Not Evil Spawn. Please tell me you're not doing..."

"It is time you knew. Meredith and I are partnered," the Spawn interrupted and answered before the Prawn could. Izzie gasped and glared at Mer. This time Mer nudged Alex with her thigh and then her shoulder. He calmly pressed back, not backing down.

"Tonight, Meredith it's okay, we were all over each other. I couldn't keep her off of me. She just throws me," Alex grinned wickedly. He was rubbing Meredith's face in it getting a little revenge of his own while at the same time sparking more of an interest in Izzie, if he wasn't mistaken. Plus, Mer was a sexy little thing and he wouldn't mind playing if she could ever drop the Dreamster. Besides, the others needed to know and it was time they found out. He was helping Mer. Yeah.

_Play with the big boys, Meredith, and guess what you get._

"Alex!" Meredith couldn't get more out. Her cheeks flamed and she could feel her friends censorious eyes on her, Meredith the big ho.

"You remember Mer, your soft hair filled my mouth when I grabbed you from behind and attacked. And you laughed. Your special wind chime laugh. I love your sexy laugh. You know it totally turns me on, right? We panted and sweated together, while I held your body close to mine and rubbed against you. Every step we took tonight was sizzling hot. We make quite a pair," halfway through his happy little speech Meredith had hidden her face in his shoulder since she was wedged into the booth and couldn't escape. Alex stroked her honey hair from her hot face and delivered the _pièce de résistance_, "Meredith? It's your baby, but it's time. Time to let them know, Sweet Cheeks."

Cristina, George and Izzie gaped at the Spawn and the Prawn. Visions of Spawn's and Prawn's spawn – wait, would that be Sprawn's spawn? – danced behind their eyes. Meredith finally raised her face from his shirt and glared at him. Then she shook her head at her friends (Dopey, Grumpy and the eighth dwarf, Petulant) in amazed disbelief that they were actually buying the poison apple from the wicked peddler. She elbowed the menace in his rock hard gut.


	5. Bad Lad

**The Slave**

**Chapter 5: Bad Lad**

"Really, next he'll sell you sunscreen in Seattle! How dopey are you three?" Meredith demanded, disgusted.

"Well, Mer, you have been known to pick up inappropriate guys from time to time," Cristina said semi-apologetically, "And Evil Spawn qualifies," she paused and looked Karev up and down, "more than qualifies."

"Thanks," the smart ass was pleased.

"And, even though he's an ass, he always tells the truth," George added hesitantly, as the waitress served all three their food. The interns fell on their food like the pack of starving wolves they were.

"Thanks again, I think," Alex said, finishing his steak unconcernedly.

Alex laughed at Meredith's disgruntled expression. He liked having the upper hand for a while. He laughed all right. He laughed until Izzie slugged him. Hard. Ow.

"Ow! What was that for?" he yelped rubbing his shoulder. She narrowed her eyes and grimaced at him. Pressed against Meredith with a view of Izzie's fabulous rack in a fuzzy pink cashmere sweater in front of him, Alex both copped a thigh feel and let himself enjoy the pair (yeah both pair), especially as he was going to get punched anyway.

"You're being Evil Spawn, not Alex. You're enjoying being mean," Izzie proclaimed, "Meredith, what is really going on?"

Meredith sighed. It was out now. No hope for it. Not even their food was enough of a distraction.

"Alex is paying off the bet by doing things for me. No, George! Get your mind out of the gutter! Alex stop laughing, you big jerk!"

Cristina allowed herself to be amused now that she was sure there was no Meralex, or was that Malex, or perhaps the best name, considering the upset stomach the thought gave her, was Malox.

"We're going to dance lessons together! Alex was telling the truth George. He just made it all sound dirty to dirty minds, that's all," Meredith finally blurted desperately.

Before anyone could recover from the mental image of Alex prancing around in tights, Meredith added, "We're going to the biannual firefighter/ police/ paramedic charity ball. It raises money for their widows and orphans fund. Captain Brewer of Engine Company 9 invited me specifically. The Chief thinks it is a great idea for the hospital to show support so he is sending all of us to the dance, sponsored by the Surgical Department at Seattle Grace." Now everyone was stunned by the thought of Alex voluntarily ballroom dancing. There had to be a catch. Wait, there was a catch, somehow they'd all been drafted to a party by _Meredith_? _Sadsack Meredith_?

Meredith stopped for breath and pressed hard to Alex. She wanted her friends to go and she'd arranged for sponsorship and time off. Now they all just had to agree to go. He dropped a casual arm over her thin shoulders and rubbed her bare upper arm warm. Alex wasn't sure exactly what Meredith had attached to this dance in her mind, but whatever it was was important to his gal pal. She gave him a shy half smile for his support, already forgiving him his revenge. She'd deserved it, she freely admitted it.

"Meredith, you got us time off work and free tickets to a ball?" asked Izzie, a delighted smile lighting her face, "And you've been making Alex rumba? Oh my God!" she burst out laughing. Alex kept his eye on the pink sweater, delighted. Then he realized what she said, and glared an 'I told you so' down at Mer who was making herself nearly invisible in his armpit.

"Are we actually on the clock as part of our eighty hours if we go?" asked George.

Meredith nodded from her nest in Alex's armpit.

"I'm in," George said with no further delay, grinning like a goon, "if only for the free food, and the chance to watch Karev get humiliated on the dance floor, all while getting paid. I'm bringing my cell phone camera. Yeah. Thanks Mer." George grinned.

"Meredith, tell me you did not do this to me," moaned Cristina, "Wasn't the McStinky McSmurf thing enough for you? You did _not_ preempt a day of surgery for _a ballroom dance!? _You are a very, _very_ dark and _violently_ twisty girl. I am considering hating you."

"Cristina, I'm sorry, I am, but I wanted you with me and you know how you tell me all the time that I'm selfish..." Meredith shrugged the one shoulder that was still in the open, "If it makes you feel any better, the Chief said that if we do this, he'll excuse us from the mandatory 'volunteer' public service for schoolchildren next month that all the other first years are doing. This will be our public service for the year."

Meredith ducked back under Karev's arm and hid while Cristina narrowed her eyes to slits and weighed all the options. Meredith had actually got them a cherry deal. Damn. She was going to a ball.

"Okay, I definitely hate you, Evil Prawn, and you too, Evil Spawn."

"Hey, what'd I do?" Alex protested with the most innocent face he could muster.

"Watch the name calling, McSmurf!" Meredith yelped at the same moment.

"You instigated the Race! Then, you LOST the Race! You set her loose on us all. You knew she was McDreamy McDreary! She was bound to go off the deep end, sooner or later, and you gave her the perfect place to plunge. I hold you responsible," Cristina wagged the celery stick from her vegetable plate at Alex, now completely ignoring Meredith.

"Hey, no!" Meredith appeared out of her underarm nest like a bat flying out of a cave. "Alex has been the best!" she defended, "He's just paying off the bet. I am the one who did this, not him. Blame be lame me, not him." Meredith fiercely grabbed the celery stalk before it could poke out her eye. Karev smugly smirked at Yang from behind his staunch defender's back. Izzie pinched him this time.

"Ow! Izzie, not into that scene, girlfriend. Hey, I'm done. Let me out. Sundance, ya coming?" Alex suddenly needed sleep, he was over it.

"Yeah, Butch, thanks for the ride," Meredith made good her escape while the freedom train was chugging.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid looked at each other outside the diner and crumbled into laughter. It wouldn't have been so funny if they weren't so tired and suffering an acute adrenaline crash.

"Mer, your face was priceless!"

"You rat! You forced me!"

"I had to! It was for your own good!"

"'...every step was sizzling hot' -- come on!" Meredith choked she was laughing so hard. They clung to each other and Karev easily lifted her up and swung her around, making her laugh harder.

"Uh um," Addison politely cleared her throat. Derek stood frozen, three paces behind her, black eyes on the laughing couple, "May we get by?"

"Uh sure," Karev simply danced Meredith out of the way with no muss, no fuss. Meredith looked at the perfectly perfect couple's frozen, snooty faces frowning at her and burst into further nervous giggles against Alex's chest. It was all just too funny. Of course Derek would catch her at this moment. He was everywhere. She pushed pain and sadness away and giggled helplessly. Derek had chosen his perfect person with perfect hair and perfect cold thighs. Now he had to deal with it. Only, there wasn't any fun or warmth in perfection. Didn't he know that?

"Take me home, Marco. 'Kay?" was all Mer could say.

"You got it, Polo," They laughed again.

The perfect people pushed past, peeved at the perceived prurient pleasure of the peons in their path. Alex and Meredith headed for his car without looking back.

Derek turned at the door and watched the pair happily laughing and chattering as they headed to Meredith's home. He felt almost the same kind of shocked hurt that he had felt when he caught Addison and Mark in his bed. Meredith was his. What was she doing with another man? Especially Karev! She was supposed to still be suffering all dark and twisty, waiting for him to change his mind, didn't she know the rules?


	6. Best Dressed

**The Slave**

**Chapter 6: Best Dressed**

Word spread like wildfire through the hospital the next day. Grey's winnings were being taken out of Karev's hide on Saturday at the FPP charity ball. Dr. Grieg, the sixth year general surgeon, who fancied himself an expert on the Race and the two crazy kids who had competed in it, bruited the news on every floor. Word had it the Spawn couldn't dance and the show was going to be hilarious. Or maybe the Prawn was going to go nuts with a water pistol again. You can never tell with first years. The lack of sleep drove them all batty, right? Or maybe McSmurf and the Smurfettes (or was that McStinky and the Stinkers) were going to take revenge. Those who were lucky enough to attend were rumored to have quite a show to look forward to, for sure. The FPP ball ticket sales heated up. Yay, for the widows and orphans.

Meredith sighed when she overheard two candystripers gossiping about it in the hospital lobby. Candystripers! For heaven's sake. Meredith amused herself by picturing them as candystrippers instead. She watched a little strip tease in her mind, trying not to laugh out loud at her own joke. People never really forgave you if you burst out laughing for no apparent reason at your own weird thoughts. She looked guiltily around as if those nearby could pick up her thoughts. Then she did laugh out loud. The sound of her infectious wind chime laughter made the people around the coffee cart smile along with her.

_Get back to work, Meredith, you're losing it._

"That's a welcome sound. You haven't laughed around here in forever, yet I catch you laughing both last night and today. What's so funny?" asked Dr. Shepherd from behind her.

Meredith's gut clenched at the sound of his voice, "Nothing... just strange thoughts," she said turning around in line, all her senses luxuriating in being this close to him. He smelled fabulous and he was in touching range. If she just moved a little clumsily she'd brush against him. The candystriper candystrippers giggled at Meredith and Derek as they collected their coffee and left. They jarred her out of her fantasy.

_Meredith! Stop it! McDreamy is married! Ugh! You did it again. You called him "McDreamy". _Meredith resolutely took a step back. _No "accidental" touching here, no sirree._

"So, word has it that you and Karev are going to the charity ball together," he said, fishing for more, unable to stop himself. His head knew it was none of his business. His heart felt it was completely his business.

"Yes, we are. It should be fun. I need fun," Meredith's face developed its customary mask of sadness as she looked into the midnight blue eyes of the man she loved and couldn't have. He'd chosen someone else. He didn't love her. No matter what, she had to remember that.

"But, Karev said you weren't dating," he semi-asked.

"We're not. He's my friend," she paused and looked archly at him, "Why the interest? You're not jealous are you?"

"What?" he choked and half laughed, "No... I don't get jealous... besides I'm not with you, I'm with Addison."

Ow. Meredith looked him in the eye, raised her chin and said, "I know that. Do you?"

Meredith turned on her heel and left. She couldn't stay there with him. She didn't care if he thought she was running away. She was. He wanted to stay married to his "family, Addison" and he wanted to keep her, Meredith, dangling. She wasn't playing that hurtful little game anymore. She ran up the stairs and barreled into Alex coming down.

"Not content to flatten me after work? Need to jump me here too?" he drawled sardonically, barely resisting falling.

_No, I'm blackmailing cute guys into dancing with me instead – way more fun, _she thought, looking at Karev and laughing again.

Derek stared after her, hurting even more as he heard her happy wind chime laugh ring out for the third time in two days. Meredith was learning to be happy even if he was out of her life. She was making every effort to move on.

_Why am I so hurt? I'm doing the right thing. Addison is my wife. I have to try. I owe her that. God! Does it have to be so painful?_

ooo

Alex slipped studs in his button holes and contemplated himself in the mirror. He saw a regular guy, not bad looking, good looking maybe, but nothin' to write home about. He had no prob' with the gals, he was cocky about his sexual prowess, but he still didn't see the truth. He didn't see his own chiseled perfect handsome face. He had no idea of the hot challenge of his smoky eyes and bad boy edge. He was sex on a stick in his tux, and the women were going to eat him up. He just didn't know it yet. Time to pick up his date.

Meredith heard Alex in her foyer and knew it was time. She fought to quiet the butterflies in her belly. She looked in her mirror and sighed. She was skinny, skinny and plain. The dress was pretty. Her makeup looked okay. That was good. She turned away. Meredith didn't have Monroe curves, it was true. She was fairyland beautiful, instead. Her low self-esteem was not letting her see the fairy queen in her mirror.

Alex was waiting downstairs alone when Meredith floated lightly down the stairs. She wore a stunning dress that couldn't have flattered her petite, yet full busted figure more. The color was a lovely, rich red orange that warmed her alabaster complexion and made her glow with an inner fire.

The top of the dress was a soft draped plunge bra that cupped and lifted and shaped Meredith's breasts to glorious advantage. Black lace peeped a half inch out of the top outline of the bra cups. The straps were narrow at the top of each cup, widening to an inch at the top of her shoulders and then circling under her arms back to the front attaching narrowly to the sides of the bra, leaving Meredith's back from her long, elegant neck to her waist, bare. A narrow, invisible, see through strap linked the two shoulder straps across her back to give the bra invisible support.

Meredith watched Karev's eyes follow the elegant, sexy line of the dress from the shoulders to the hem and knew she'd scored. The skirt of the dress attached to the bra at the bottom of the plunging cleavage, the bra and skirt closure hidden by a brilliant starburst of white diamonds and orange citrines, two inches in diameter. Two vees of lovely bare flesh on her sides under her breasts were revealed. The skirt cleverly draped her hips making them a little fuller and clinging just right to her plump bottom cheeks. It flared silkily down her legs stopping above her ankles. The left side of the skirt was slit to mid-thigh so every step Mer took sexily flashed her legs, her diamond and citrine decorated ankle, and hinted at more. Black lace lined both sides of the slit. The waist of the dress was a five to six inch wide ruched point up in the front, clinging around her waist, with a ruched point down in back, emphasizing her softly draped curvy bottom.

Alex blinked. Then stared. Then blinked.

Meredith had done her makeup in dark, smoky, evening colors so that her beautiful, large eyes stood out from her face, making her an irresistible, sexy siren. She fiddled with a citrine ring on her right hand and then with the diamond and citrine bracelet above it. Her nails were done in a solar French manicure. Her hair was upswept with long strands falling out and curving down in fabulous disarray over the small starbursts of diamonds gracing each ear.

"Whoa, you're hot," he swallowed hard. Alex had never seen her so beautiful.

She smiled and dismissed his words, "You think all females are hot," She looked him over. She'd gone with a Donna Karan tuxedo in a charcoal black along with an exquisitely crisp Donna Karan shirt for him. The collar was finished so no tie was necessary. His embroidered white on white shirt was closed with silver and onyx studs and he looked incredible in it. His shoes were shiny hand stitched Armanis. She grinned and sighed, "You clean up well, Dr. Karev."

He ignored her, still staring, "Trust me, Dr. Grey. You are _hot_! Turn around," he waved and watched stupefied as she gave a graceful spin, "Wow! _Sizzlin'_!"

"Thank you! I think you look great too. Thank you for doing this with me, Alex. You're really very sweet."

"Meredith, you're killing me here. You can not come down wearing that dress and then call me sweet."

Meredith laughed and Alex smiled in response shaking his head at her, "Come on, let's go."

Meredith slid into the vintage silver mink jacket she'd inherited from her great grandmother. It was soft, warm and beautiful. It was also from a fabulous fashion era. She picked up her rhinestone covered silver purse that matched her rhinestone covered silver evening sandals. Alex donned his long black wool coat and double checked his inner tux pocket for their tickets before offering his arm to his date.

"Hey, where are Izzie and George? Aren't we going together?" Meredith asked as Alex handed her into his classic convertible.

"Nope. They went ahead when you needed a little more time. I figure this is a date anyway so we don't need an escort," he flashed an evil, gorgeous grin at her, "Izzie is regretting not forgiving me right about now," he said, all bad boy.

She just laughed and tsked him with her pouty lips and sat back, happy.


	7. Prancer Dancer

**The Slave**

**Chapter 7: Prancer Dancer**

"Ready, Genie Eyes?" asked Alex, taking a huge settling breath of his own.

"Yes... yes, I think we're both ready. Let's go have fun, Alex," Meredith said, charmed already by the gorgeous old hotel and the enchanting ballroom they could clearly see through the thrown back double doors, "Oh, they're waltzing already, Alex, look."

She skipped a few steps in excitement, dancing ahead of him, then came to a dead stop, "Oh no," she said softly, disappointed, "I never imagined they'd be here. I wanted to have fun."

Derek and Addison Montgomery-Shepherd were checking their coats. Addison was beyond sophisticated in the latest fashion straight from a New York runway. Her sunshine yellow dress draped and flattered her statuesque figure beautifully. It was reminiscent of the spectacular dress Angelina Jolie wore at a film festival. The color enhanced her red-headed appeal. With her gorgeous hair up swept, wearing four inch Manolo Blahnik spikes she was taller than Derek. Meredith got a perverse pleasure in that. The couple just didn't physically match. They didn't match in a number of other ways too.

_Meredith, stop. They are none of your business. Stop being mean and stop obsessing, _Mer sternly took herself to task and drooped with sadness, depressed again. Maybe she should tell Alex to forget it. What fun was she going to have watching the Ad...

_Meredith, stop it! _

Her eyes were magnetized against her will to her lodestone, Derek.

_My God, he's...,_ Meredith swallowed hard, _he's... McDreamy._

There just wasn't another word to describe how gorgeous he was in his extremely well tailored tuxedo, also hot off a New York runway. Meredith's cracked heart broke a little more when she saw him smile charmingly at... _his wife_ and offer her his arm into the ball.

Alex glanced where she was staring and swore under his breath. She looked up at him surprised, since she'd really just spoken to herself. Alex pulled her to him, slinging a protective arm over her shoulders, and holding her delicate chin in his surgeon's hand.

"You and I have worked non-stop for more than six weeks to get ready for this dance, have you forgotten, perchance? We're going to be mad, bad and rad, not sad," Alex decreed, smiling his bad boy smile at her, "I'm the guy you're here for, see, keep that memory. Ignore that bore and Satan's whore. You want to stare, Mer? I'm your great date. You want to play, Grey? I'm your boy toy. You want inappropriate sex à la A-lex? Hm," Alex grinned wickedly at her, deliberately giving her a heated look, "It wouldn't be wise, but you could make me rise, Genie Eyes."

"Alex!" Meredith laughed unrestrainedly, delightedly, brought back to good time mode by his playful sexy irreverence, "I love you, pretend boyfriend. You know that, right? You're Calvin Klein fine. And don't call them names. I'm trying to stop all that, and you're not helping!"

Alex laughed too and caught a glimpse of Shepherd looking over his shoulder at them, drawn by the distinctive sound of Meredith's laughter. His eyes held the same shell-shocked look hers had just had. Karev shook his head to himself.

_What the hell was Shepherd thinking, choosing Addison, when he patently loved Meredith. Attendings were incomprehensible. And Addison – that was one hot babe going to waste._

Alex and Meredith once more started forward. They checked their coats and handed over their tickets at the entry. Alex held Mer's hand over his arm as they wonderingly entered the ball. The enormous space could easily hold a thousand dancers. It was in a spectacular grande ballroom, decorated with hundreds of potted green plants and trees as well as dozens of huge donated arrangements of red roses and white iris. White and red bunting decorated the walls in drapes and swags. Giant hanging crystal chandeliers illuminated the gorgeous people below with soft glorious light. Beautifully decorated tables ringed the floor, most occupied. Musicians were set up at one end of the vast room, while bartenders were set up at the other. Clear Plexiglass donation boxes for the FPP charity ringed the huge dance floor, spaced at discreet intervals. The locked boxes were already collecting a significant sum.

Alex and Meredith wandered through the throng outside the tables that ringed the dance floor. There was no sign of the perfect pair and the interns both breathed sighs of relief. Meredith clung to Alex, his larger body more easily cutting through the company. The interns recognized dozens of the emergency personel they worked with every day. Also many, many hospital personel seemed to be present. They all turned to each other to gossip about the two interns speculatively, as Alex and Meredith passed by. Soon waves of gossip flowed through the gigantic room, moving through the crowd faster than the couple could walk. They started to draw a gawking host of their own. Alex surged through the horde to Izzie and George's table at the edge of the floor, distracting Meredith by pointing their friends out.

Alex felt an uneasy quake in his stomach at the strange reaction of the masses all around. He'd learned to read a crowd at a young age because of his musician father. This crew was weird. But he also noticed the admiring eyes cast from almost every man at his date. He felt proud to be with Meredith. She was amazingly hot and beautiful. He realized she was turning every man's head. He guided Meredith to their table and their seats. Two chairs were still unoccupied. Apparently they were still waiting on Cristina and Burke.

The girls had already admired each other at home, but Meredith complimented Izzie again. The blond was in a spectacular raspberry red dress that heightened her already beautiful looks. Izzie commented again on how extremely well suited to her, Meredith's dress was. George just looked dumpy in his rented tuxedo, so everyone politely ignored him.

_Mm, I should have helped him out there_, thought Mer.

_Me too,_ added Izzie.

_Pays to be the boy toy,_ supplied Evil Spawn, all bad, lording it over George in his designer tux.

Meredith raised an eyebrow at him and blew him a sassy kiss. Her date caught her air kiss and smirked. Izzie caught their byplay and a slight frown marred her smooth brow. Alex was so gorgeous tonight. Up until he and Meredith had Raced he'd still been pursuing her, Izzie, trying to get back in her good graces after sleeping with another woman. Izzie wanted nothing to do with the scapegrace again, she reminded herself. She didn't give second chances. She even had a bet with one of the obstetrics residents that Alex would make an ass of himself and Meredith on the dance floor.

_But why does he have to look so gorgeous and happy with Meredith? And Meredith! I haven't seen her this happy since McDreamy turned out to be McNightmare. _Izzie shifted uncomfortably with jealousy. _Come on, Izzie, this is silly._

While the guys went for drinks, Meredith gracefully sat with Izzie, both sighing and relaxing. They watched the waltzing couples and grinned at each other, happy with a night out. Somehow the customary intern exhaustion was absent tonight.

"Have you seen Cristina?" Meredith asked.

"No, not yet," Izzie shook her head.

"Is she still mad at me?"

"No, not really, I don't think she ever was. Runny nosed schoolchildren or this? This wins every time. I think it is just the principle of the thing," Izzie said astutely, "Oh look, there she is! She's beautiful and Burke looks great."

Cristina was in a gorgeous white designer gown that showed off her lovely shape and flared when she walked. She was stunning in it. Burke was her perfect foil, dressed in an immaculate Brooks Brothers tuxedo, crisp white shirt and neatly folded bow tie. Cristina was actually smiling and seemingly enjoying herself. Both Meredith and Izzie breathed a sigh of relief. Then they looked at each other and grinned, amused at their mutual heartfelt sigh. Cristina in a pissy mood was more than they could handle tonight. Izzie waved the couple over. Cristina sat next to Meredith, while Burke headed out for drinks. The FPP charity would certainly make more on their bar than they would on ticket sales.

"You look incredible, Cristina," said Meredith.

"Of course I do, I'm hot, I'm always hot. Burke is considering this as a date night," Cristina smirked at the idea of combining four events – Burke's date night, hospital public service, drinking with friends, and finally, revenge on Alex and Meredith, as they made fools of themselves on the dance floor. Everyone was talking about that last. Cristina, who would stick with her person, no matter what, but couldn't imagine her tippy toeing around a dance floor with Evil Spawn, of all people, knew this was going to be a riot of laughs. She had a bet on with Tolliver, an ER nurse. He actually thought they'd look great. Ha! She had her tiny digital camera ready for their downfall. She chuckled evilly to herself. Photobucket, ahoy.

"So, we're good?" Meredith asked, wanting her friend back after a month of relationship rocky road.

Cristina considered her grumpily for a moment and then relented, "Yeah, it was a good call, this public service gig. We're good."

Alex and George reappeared with drinks for themselves and the girls. They were all drinking champagne cocktails. Izzie had insisted. They were at the first ball she'd ever attended and Alex and George were not allowed to guzzle beer – her words. She sealed the deal when she supplied cash for the first two rounds.

"Dr. Grey! You're here! I'll let the guys know," said an exuberant, handsome, young firefighter named McKenzie from Meredith's firehouse, E. Co. 9. He wolf whistled, "Wow! You look fantastic!" he cast an eye across the table ignoring Karev and O'Malley, "And these lovely ladies are...?"

Meredith smiled even as the guys frowned, "This is Dr. Stevens and Dr. Yang."

"I'm Dr. Karev, have a sandwich," Alex said, handing McKenzie, the plate of tiny finger sandwiches O'Malley had scrounged at the donated buffet, "Come on, Meredith, let's dance."

He held his hand out to Meredith, as he had hundred times before, ignoring the other interns and their amused mugs. A hush fell over the two thirds of the crowd that were involved in the multitude of bets that had been placed both for and against Meredith's Slave. Gossip spread inky black tentacles across the room again, and more and more people picked up the story of the Race and the Slave. Even newcomers wanted to see the racers as pacers. Had the dainty doctor turned her brave slave into a prancer dancer?

The Shepherds relaxed at their table on a raised dais on the far side of the floor with the Webbers and the Monahans. They had a fantastic view since their table was elevated. Derek, closest to the floor, watched Meredith's every move. She was exquisite – easily one of the most beautiful women present. She was certainly one of the hottest. He didn't have to hide his expression from the others since all they saw was his well appointed back as they watched the dancers gliding past. He was fighting a terrible, unfamiliar, churning, aching in his gut. His heart thumped when he heard Meredith's chiming laughter again.

_Karev knows how to make her laugh._

She was simply breathtaking in her beautiful dress. He glanced at the conservative cut of Addison's gown and thought once more of Meredith's delicate figure tastefully, yet erotically revealed in her cut out dress. He shifted uncomfortably when his body reacted typically to thoughts of his ex-girlfriend and what he would do with her tonight if she were still his. He gritted his teeth when Karev took a laughing Meredith into his arms, but he couldn't look away.

Dr. Karev's chiseled perfect face and lean build were reminescent of James Dean; he had the air of a fifties bad boy. More than one woman salivated as they watched the gorgeous hunk lead the slight sexy girl out to the middle of the dance floor. When he bent solicitously over her and gave a quirky half smile, they wanted to swoon like fan girls. Meredith's wind chime laugh rang out at Alex' quips and drew a hundred eyes.

Whole fire companies and police precincts were mesmerized by Meredith's faerie queen beauty. She was delicate and light beside her male counterpart. She looked fragile and beautiful at the same time. They all already knew Dr. Grey as very smart and dedicated. But they were also accustomed to seeing her sad and depressed. Hearing her laughter and seeing her lit with anticipation made them happy for her. Surgical residents and staff were also all very proud to tell their neighbors that they knew the lovely Dr. Grey; she was one of theirs. Dr. Webber caught sight of the first years and beamed proudly at Ellis Grey's little girl.

"Look," the Chief said to the table at large, "Karev is finally paying off his Race debt. Let's see if Grey got her money's worth from him."

"Oh, Dr. Grey looks lovely," said Mrs. Monahan, still very grateful to Dr. Grey for once saving her husband's life, "And her date is movie star gorgeous. What a beautiful, lucky girl! Oh and they are fabulous dancers! Just look!"

Addison frowned at Dr. Monahan's overly enthusiastic wife. Apparently either the plastic surgeon or his wife wasn't a gossip monger, so she didn't know the connection between Grey and Shepherd. Addison didn't need Mrs. Monahan's commentary. She could see for herself the sex oozing slutty little intern – and her delicious date.

_Stop it, Addison. No more name-calling. Remember, you're trying to stop that._

She glared at the back of Derek's head knowing that he was watching his ex-lover. She was struck cold and unhappy inside, lonely and bleak. She couldn't keep his attention for five minutes when the slutty intern was in the same room.

_Addison! No name calling,_ she admonished herself again. _Grey is a student. Another doctor. Be professional._

The orchestra finished the foxtrot they'd been playing and began playing the overture to a waltz. Alex and Meredith took their starting position. They gracefully stepped as one, impeccably matched, exquisitely timed into the waltz. Derek disguised the growl in his chest by fake coughing. Alex was straight and regal leading and supporting Meredith easily. His line was smooth and even. Their frame was perfect. Their upper bodies were still as their lower bodies apparently floated them along. They were two or three cuts above every other pair there.

The crowd watched the swan curve of Dr. Grey's neck and her joyous expression and sighed. Derek couldn't look away from her glowing little face, even when he knew Addison's eye was on him. Dr. Karev was _très amusante_ apparently because he kept his lucky partner smiling and laughing the whole dance, even as he guided her in graceful sweeps around the dance floor. Dr. Grieg and his wife smiled at the happy pair as they waltzed past. Tolliver and his beautiful date watched from their table. They grinned at the amount of cash they were about to scoop up. As Tolliver had said – "I told them all. Never bet against Dr. Grey, but they did anyway." Laughter and talk swelled throughout the ballroom again. Money exchanged hands around the room. Wonder of wonders the Slave could waltz. Who'd have thunk it?

Alex had started with the first drole comment about their colleagues' dancing styles as he led Meredith to center floor. He wanted her mind on him and happy thoughts only. So, he set out to achieve it.

"Look, there goes Crandell from proctology – what is he? A whooping crane?" Alex snarked, watching the man's head bob up and down as he swept his arms in and out, for all the world like a giant crane landing. Meredith's laugh chinkled across the floor. She knew she shouldn't encourage the Spawn, but Crandell looked so funny.

Alex bent over Mer and said, "I love your laugh, Genie Eyes, I want you to laugh all night," he gave her his crooked half smile. He swirled her into position and as the music swelled he led Meredith into a beautiful waltz.

_Mom would be proud,_ he thought (thinking of all the times she'd forced him to her dance class) executing a perfect waltz step. _Meredith made it easy._

"It really is a zoo," Alex continued, out of the corner of his mouth, "Those two look like two circus bears dancing," he motioned to two police detectives. The woman was a very tall, distorted, extreme clone of Addison Montgomery Shepherd. Her mannish hands looked like bear paws. The man was her same height, only seventy pounds heavier. He had thick, meaty features. They wrestled each other across the dance floor, circling around and around.

"Do you think that's what Montgomery-Shepherd will look like in a dozen years?" The Spawn breathed into the Prawn's ear, not because he believed it, but because he wanted Mer to rise like a trout to his lure, "Bigger and more mannish than ever."

Meredith saw the couple and almost missed a step choking on laughter, "Alex, don't! You're so mean! I can't let myself think like that. You know I already have a problem because I see her as an adder. I'm trying to behave myself. She's one of our superiors -- and she's a perfectly perfect person -- you know that."

"I like imperfectly cute, sexy little ones, that's what I know," he said flirting with her. She grinned up at him. She liked being swirled around, held in his strong arms.

"Oh, look Alex, they're cute!" Meredith exclaimed pointing out two parakeets to Alex.

It was his turn to stifle a shout of laughter. The parakeets were two frail old ladies, in pastel pink and lavender gowns with hair dyed to match, dancing with each other, twittering away. They took in everything through their beady little bird brown eyes. Alex and Meredith definitely caught their attention and they flew closer for a better look. Meredith wondered if the old ladies were playing the same game and if so, what animals did they see dancing past? She smiled at her thoughts.

Alex leaned forward his voice low and rumbling from his chest, "I know you have odd thoughts going on in that twisty little head. What's so funny?"

She blushed a little, "Oh nothing, I was just wondering what animals those old ladies saw us as when they passed."

Alex chuckled, "Easy, we're a matched pair of prancing ponies... or would that be waltzing wallabies... or how about chacha cheetahs?"

"As long as we're not graceful gators or rumba rhinos!" Meredith and Alex were getting sillier by the minute. They chuckled together and both of them felt whatever restrictions or reservations they still had leave them.

"Meredith, let's really dance tonight, okay?" his eyes were intent.

"Okay," she breathed, committed.

_**Thank you for reviewing!! samantha**_


	8. Others Smothers

**The Slave**

**Chapter 8: Others Smothers  
**

"Would you like to dance?" asked Burke offering his hand politely, looking suavely arch in his well fitted tuxedo.

Cristina stared at his proffered hand grumpily. She finally took it with ill grace when he stepped forward a little and towered intimidatingly over her. She let Burke lead her into a foxtrot – a foxtrot of all things! She looked over at Karev and Grey, as Burke danced her past them, and almost growled. There they were, the traitorous two, yukking it up, when they were supposed to be flat on their asses! She'd lost two hundred to Tolliver and one hundred to Bambi! Bambi! Insult just heaped on top of the injury. How was it that she had never known that her person could actually dance?

Then Meredith laughed at something Alex said and the sound of tinkling windchimes touched Cristina's heart. She really looked at Meredith for the first time that night. She saw a girl who was enjoying herself – no trace of sadness or depression remained. Meredith? The Evil Spawn was actually able to erase the sadness from the Evil Prawn's eyes? When had that happened and why hadn't she noticed it? Yeah, she had been punishing Meredith for "McSmurf-McStinky" by ignoring her as much as possible when she wanted to talk, but surely Cristina was still Meredith's best friend?! Burke murmured to her drawing her attention.

ooo

Izzie looked away from George, up at the tall firefighter, and said, "Thank you, I'd really love to, but I never learned how."

"Good," he said, relieved, grinning with cute dimples in his cheeks, "I never have either. I just thought we'd pretend by moving in circles."

Izzie laughed and stood, flattered by his obvious interest. She ignored George's hangdog expression, leaving him sitting alone at the table. She could handle this kind of dancing. She let herself be led into the thickening crowd on the floor. As she entered the firefighter's arms, Izzie instinctively looked around for Alex and Meredith. She'd lost the bet. They were magic on the dance floor – so elegant and beautifully matched. Alex looked so handsome. She wondered for the millionth time why Alex seemed to have problems performing in bed for her but had absolutely no problems with syph nurse. Was there something wrong with her? Did he notice something in the middle of lovemaking that turned him off? Izzie saw Alex give his rare, beautiful, real smile to Meredith and her stomach sank.

ooo

George watched Izzie leave with a tall, great looking guy and sat in dumpy, lonely splendor. He craned his neck looking for the woman who was the target of his massive crush.

_Meredith is so beautiful,_ he thought stickily, _I could be her guy, not the Spawn, not the McDummy._

Why did she like every guy, even Evil Spawn, better than him? He should have asked her out. He could have asked her to this dance if he had known about it. He was a doctor, a catch, yeah... a real man, a stud, yeah... he could be...

"Hi, Dr. O'Malley," said a cute litte lab tech from hematology, "Would you like to dance with me?"

George's mouth dropped open in shock, "Uh... um... I... you..."

"It's okay," the cutie-pie said, "Everyone's cool here. They let gay guys dance. See? There's another couple over there," he pointed.

"I... I'm not gay, okay," George stammered.

"Really?" the cutie gave George a skeptical look, "You don't need to hide in the closet, girlfriend. If you don't want to dance with me, just say so."

"I don't want to dance with you... and I'm not your girlfriend!" George said loudly, and then cringed when the people at the next table looked over.

A peal of Meredith's laughter sounded at just that moment and George cringed again. The cutie curiously looked around at Meredith and Alex as they came back to the table.

"Hi, Dr. Grey, Dr. Karev, you two look great out there," he complimented them sincerely.

"Thank you, Dwight. So nice to see you here," said Meredith.

"Yeah, I just struck out with Dr. O'Malley, so I think I'll go ask Dr. Marle to dance. _He's_ unashamed of who he is," with a last meaningful look of admonishment at scarlet cheeked George, Dwight sashayed across the floor. Alex smiled the Evil Grinch smile of rotten delight.

"Georgie," he said all sugary voiced, "You could have danced with your little boyfriend, or is that girlfriend, everyone is down with that. Go ahead," his false sympathy grated.

"Alex! I am not... Meredith! I am not... do you think I'm... I am not.. gay!!" George's nostrils flared as he tried to suck in enough air to keep from fainting.

At that moment the music stopped and O'Malley's denial rang across the ballroom in clarion tones. Everyone stopped and stared, in a spontaneous moment of silence. Meredith raised her brows and regarded George's deeply crimson face with surprise.

"George, relax. Everyone knows you got syphillis from syph nurse, remember? That means you're straight, right? Or have you been hiding something? Is that why you're shouting?" Meredith said mildly, but the surrounding tables heard her and guffawed. Alex just laughed out loud at George's discomfiture. That earned him a small frown from Mer.

"George, were those your dulcet tones bellowing that you're not gay?" asked Izzie as her partner brought her back to the table, "What are you thinking? Now, it will be all over the hospital tomorrow that you're gay. You know that's how it works. Wait... are you? Cuz, that might explain..."

"Izzie!" George hissed, mega mortified.

"Just joking George, lighten up," Izzie laughed as her Adonis firefighter looked on in amusement.

In desperation, wanting to escape, George turned to Mer and started mumbling an invitation to dance. A rumba started and Alex swiftly intervened, cirumventing George and saving his loss boss.

"Rumba rhinos rule," Alex grinned cheekily at Meredith and then turned a disgusted eye on George, "loser lambs languish last. O'Malley, rally and take a chance, dance with Nurse Vance. Meredith is _my_ date, mate."

Alex triumphantly led his date to the floor again leaving George and Izzie at the table both lost in envy as they watched this new golden couple. Neither would ever have thought it possible, but Karev and Grey looked great together, Grey bringing out the best in Karev somehow. Alex swept Meredith into the sexy hip grinding rumba and then segued into a hot salsa. The orchestra was doing a whole set of latin rhythms.

ooo

Derek Shepherd ignored his wife. He knew she wanted to dance but he didn't dance, not in public, anyway. Especially not to this Spanish stuff. She knew that. He sighed in relief when the Chief finally took her for a spin. The Monahans were dancing and Adele was visiting at the organizer's table making political hay. Derek could sit and brood all he wanted. He could look for Meredith and that...

_okay, no name calling, Derek..._

he could look for Meredith and... that... he couldn't help it...

_that prancing popinjay... that.. that jaded jock... that... that arrogant ass... that damned evil spawn that has his hands all over my girl. Meredith is my girl... mine. The girl who said she loved me; the girl I threw back; the girl I didn't choose. Who am I kidding? I'm the arrogant ass..._

Derek swallowed his third scotch of the night. It burned going down, letting him numb out as he watched Karev sexily salsa Meredith. The motions of the dance were incredibly erotic when danced well, and he had to admit, they danced it well... fantastic... hot. Ow.

Karev danced Meredith towards Derek's table. Derek's eyes felt glued to her plump little butt swaying from side to side.

_Oh, man._

"Stare any harder, McDreamy, and you'll catch her skirt on fire," said a sarcastic female voice in his ear.

He started guiltily. Then he realized it wasn't Addison. It was worse. Cristina.


	9. Blast Past

**The Slave**

**Chapter 9: Blast Past  
**

Meredith was having a blast. She had fun watching her friends dance and joke. Cristina and Burke seemed to be having a good time. Izzie was a huge hit with the single guys in the crowd. George was moping, but that was his own fault.

Meredith was dancing every dance, even when Alex wanted to sit out and drink champagne cocktails with Izzie. Firefighters from Engine Company 9 took turns dancing with her. Some of them were terrible dancers, but it was all fun. She also danced with several members of the police force, attracting partners with ease. One very attractive officer was from the bomb squad, Dylan Young. Meredith danced twice with him, the only man besides Alex that she danced with more than once.

She'd seen Burke and Cristina dancing several times, and the Webbers and the Monahans and even Addison, but not Derek. She had no idea where the He-She-Shepherds were sitting and she wanted to keep it that way.

Meredith excitedly flew back to Alex after a slow dance with a paramedic. He grinned at her enthusiasm, feeling a tiny buzz over the champagne. He was hot enough and loose enough to do it. He pulled her into his lap and cuddled her there. Meredith, a little high too on the excitement and fun, more than the champagne, let him, and enjoyed it. They laughed over silly rhyming again, playing with each other. Izzie looked on frowning.

"Hey, stay and play, Grey, you're not poor over that boor, anymore. You coming up out of the dark, means we've socked it out of the park. Don't mock it, you're like a rocket. You've blast past the past at full mast at last. You can put that in your pocket and take it home, or wear it in a locket like a poem!" Karev rapped liking balancing her petite form on his lap.

"It was fun, my big gun. If ever your life is amiss, or a dark abyss, you call this miss, I'll remember this hearty party with a kiss, no dis," Meredith did her best to match him.

Izzie was astonished that Meredith could rap back. The two of them really had been together too much.

The musicians played a tango, igniting Alex and Meredith to hot flames of dance. They were alone suddenly, swept into one of the most elegant, passionate dances of the world. Their movements were so precisely matched they looked like one person with one brain. Meredith, in red orange even looked like a brilliant flame set against Alex' dark tux.

Meredith's passionate nature was fully in evidence lighting her up like Fifth Avenue in December. Alex was evil, bad boy hot, his chiseled face almost cruel with masculine beauty. He commanded Meredith with his eyes and form, her every move led. She obeyed his command without hesitation, climbing the peaks of the dance easily. Grey and Karev were truly magnificent. They'd been good before, but this was different.

People stopped and stared all over the ballroom. Other couples gave way, while the twosome showed no sign of seeing anyone but each other. Gradually the floor cleared and they were the last couple dancing. The music swelled in intensity when the musicians realized the drama and played along. The couple was truly breathtaking.

Captain Brewer of Engine Co. 9 sat with his new friend Mr. Sandage, who'd just arrived, after visiting his wife in the nursing home. Neither had got to ask Dr. Grey for a dance yet, seeing as how she had all the young bucks lining up. Plus Dr. Karev wouldn't let her out of his sight for more than one dance at a time.

"Oh my," said Mr. Sandage, "I guess Dr. Grey is far outside my dance league."

"I wouldn't say that. I suspect," the captain leaned towards the kind old janitor, "That Dr. Grey would rather dance with you than almost any other man here. We all know you're her favorite."

Mr. Sandage grinned back at the Captain, "I think it is the other way around... she's my favorite.

"Look at Dr. Shepherd. Between you and me I have a feeling he has just about decided he shouldn't have made the choice he did. He's miserable. I could almost feel sorry for him if he hadn't made such a muck of things."

"Me too."

ooo

Cristina and Burke seated themselves at Shepherd's table, without asking permission.

"Dr. Shepherd."

"Dr. Burke."

"Dr. Shepherd."

"Dr. Yang."

Silence. The whole ballroom rang with music and laughter and conversation, but silence sat squashily over Derek's table. He sat back buzzed with Scotch. He couldn't rally enough brains to come up with social small talk.

_I've never been that good at it anyway,_ he thought bitterly, _It's one of the reasons I hated the New York scene. Meredith..._

Derek's heart called for his love, so close and yet, so far. His eyes strayed without his volition to her sexy little rump swaying seductively again. Karev swung Meredith around in her sexy back baring dress, her legs flaring in and out of the high slit, and Derek saw her face. She was laughing and chatting, while looking up to Alex, without a care in the world. She'd forgotten him. The pain was so sharp he forgot about Burke and Yang.

"A-d-d-i-s-o-n," Cristina spelled sardonically in his ear, jerking the jerk roughly back to reality.

She'd feel sorry for the whipped cur except that he _was _a cur. She was the BFF, not Alex. She'd shirked her BFF duties recently, but not any more. Meredith was having fun. If she saw McDreamy's unshielded expression of pain she'd be right back into her personal abyss of torment and depression. No way.

"Look away, McDreamy, stop torturing yourself and Meredith. You gave her up. Really, you threw her away. You have a wife. Deal with it," Cristina was firm with Shepherd, while smiling vapidly at Burke.

Burke, who couldn't hear Cristina, over the music, nodded and smiled at them pleasantly. Derek's face blanked and he sat there numb, unable to do or say anything else right then. The Monahans joined them and Mrs. Monahan chattered to the table at large, taking up the slack. Dr. Monahan, no dummy, offered Derek a plate of canapes and made sure he ate several, then forced several more on him. Mrs. Webber returned to the table and chattered with Mrs. Monahan. The ladies inadvertantly helped Derek because Cristina and Burke had to do the polite deed with them, thus leaving him alone. Webber and Addison came back to the table and added to the cheerful chatter. Only Derek remained silent and remote, in his own world of loss.

What was ironic was that he recognized that Meredith had lived in this awful world for months. Now it was his. He looked at Addison and felt the bottom drop out of his queasy stomach. Was this his fate? He could hear the beautiful wind chime tones of Meredith's laughter and his head turned automatically to find her. He actually stood and walked through the crowd looking for her.

There she was. Sitting in Karev's lap, happy and laughing. Derek, pierced to the quick, started to turn away when the pair suddenly stood and as one tangoed onto the dance floor. Derek was mesmerized like many of the people around him. The couple danced an amazing tango. They were passionate and perfect. Every step was exact.

Derek couldn't look away. They came closer and closer to him. He stood and waited, knowing it was right, feeling like he was dying. The music crescendoed and Alex caught Meredith in a deep dip and flipped her up sharply for the finale. Everyone broke out into spontaneous applause. Alex and Mer looked around shocked at all the attention, and then they grinned and took a bow, waving off the crowd's congratulations, laughingly. They turned to walk towards the edge of the floor.

"I guess we both win, my brave slave," Meredith's face was exquisite with joy, "Thank you."

"I guess we do, loss boss. You're welcome," Alex returned.

"Bet pet," Mer's eyes lit with razzing him.

"Distress mistress." His eyebrow raised.

"Haughty hottie," she grinned evilly

"Ooph! That hurt, Mer! Hun humiliator," he challenged.

"Bad lad," she said in return.

"Prawn."

"Spawn."

"Meredith...,"

Alex and Meredith stopped and stared at Shepherd. He looked like hell and he'd appeared out of nowhere in the crowd.

"Meredith... dance with me."

Alex started to step forward and say something, but Meredith forestalled him by simply saying, "Yes."

Alex stepped back, realizing she'd always say yes to Shepherd, no matter what. He let Derek take Meredith's hand and went to ask Izzie to dance. He wanted to hold Izzie and he wanted to be on the floor to watch his date.

Derek held his arms out to Meredith. She looked at him for a long moment, then stepped into his arms. Derek, every cell screaming in relief, held her close. He lowered his forehead to her hair and dark honey locks mingled with black. They breathed each other's breath and moved slowly to the music. Derek closed his eyes as he felt Meredith's arms creep around him and hold him tight.

_Oh God, oh God, oh God._

Her flowery fragrance filled his head and throat and lungs. Her soft breasts pressed to his chest. The bare satin skin of her back and sides and arms were his to touch longingly for a few precious minutes. They danced heart to heart.

_Meredith._

Meredith closed her eyes and caught her breath and let herself enjoy these stolen moments with Derek while riding the high from tango. She knew she'd pay. But right now the dance was worth whatever price she paid. She sank closer into her soulmate's arms trying to absorb everything about him – his heartbeat, his textures, his masculinity.

_Derek._

The dance came to an end and Derek held Meredith. People shuffled around them and still he held her. He couldn't let her go again. He just couldn't.

"Son, I believe this is my dance," said a dark chocolate voice.

A gentle old hand descended on Derek's shoulder, "My dance now, please."

"Dr. Grey, let me help you."

Captain Brewer took Meredith's hand off Derek's waist. Derek couldn't resist Mr. Sandage's urgings.

"Meredith...," his voice was strangled.

"I know," her voice was resigned.

Mr. Sandage stepped forward guiding Meredith into a stately waltz. Derek was left clenching his fists on the Captain's sleeve and then Alex Karev's arm.

"You have it bad, doc. The missus is here. You don't want to do this," said Captain Brewer.

"Dr. Shepherd, you've had too much to drink," Alex said softly, not unsympathetically, "It's time for you to go home now."

Alex stayed tense until Derek finally looked at the floor and turned away. He moved as if he were twenty years older. Alex walked Derek away from the Captain, with a nod.

"Dr. Shepherd let me buy you a cup of coffee," Alex said a little loudly, so the crowd could hear.

He guided Shepherd to the coffee table and poured two cups. Alex handed Derek his and maneuvered them into a quiet alcove.

"Look, man, it's time someone talked to you. I notice you don't have many friends who'll give it to you straight, so I guess since I'm taking care of Mer, I'll take care of Der too," Alex paused to gather his thoughts and watched Shepherd wrap his hands around his cup and sip the coffee slowly. He looked numb, in shock.

"Hey, dude, I hate to be rude and ruin the mood, but you made a mistake, when you didn't tell Addison to jump in the lake. Being this fake is gonna make you break. Quit smirking and shirking, all this lurking ain't working. MerDer. DerMer. Don't be thick, you love that chick. I don't care if it takes a magic trick, get her back, double quick. So, I'll give you a hand, man, take a stand, ditch that bitch, pitch that witch. Make a date, it's not too late, get back your soul mate, addle pate."

Derek's defenses were shattered, "I can't do this much longer. I know I'm supposed to, but I just can't."

"Then don't. Give it up. This isn't healthy for any of you. You must know that," Alex said.

"Meredith misses you. She loves you. But sooner or later she'll get over you," Karev shook his head, "What a waste. I don't pretend to understand your motives. If I can ever help you, as Meredith's friend and partner, call on me. It's time to go home, man."

Alex watched the perfectly imperfect pair depart, the She carping the whole time while the He tuned the nag out. He just didn't get it. He looked for Meredith and there she was, the belle of the geriatric set. She was changing partners every half dance with all the oldsters. They were having the time of their lives and Meredith was laughing again. Alex smiled.

**_One more chapter to go and the story will be concluded. Thank you all for commenting. I love you guys. samantha _**


	10. Pretend Boyfriend

**_This is the wrap up to The Race and The Slave, with Alex and Meredith and the five interns. This little fic was different, I know, but I enjoyed it. I hope y'all did too. I want to thank my loyal little band of readers who commented. You've been very sweet to the story and to me. Also, if you've never commented, now is your chance! Go for it._**

**The Slave**

**Chapter 10: Pretend Boyfriend**

"Alex, George and Izzie are sitting out this dance. Wanna sit out with them this time? Then we can still fit in a few more dances before the end," Meredith asked, not wanting her precious night to end, but also needing a break from standing in her high heels, "We can get a couple of plates of food too."

Meredith looked so cute, Alex couldn't resist her, and they didn't have the morning shift, so why not? He was hungry. It seemed with working eighty hours a week he was always hungry. The food he'd already eaten tonight hadn't been substantial enough.

"Izzie and George, it is, then," Alex turned Meredith towards their table.

Izzie and George welcomed them when Alex and Meredith walked over.

"If it isn't the dancing duo," Izzie said, both admiringly and jealously.

Alex said nothing, just pulled her off her chair and onto the floor. He pulled Izzie into his arms, swaying to the music without a lot of movement. He was getting closer to forgiveness with her, for sure. Until then, he'd take what he could get. He winked at Meredith over Izzie's shoulder when Iz gave a sigh and let him hold her. Mer smiled at Alex, happy for him. He held up two fingers to her behind Izzie's back. She nodded and asked George to please get her a beer and a plate of chicken wings and cheese sticks for Alex. She asked for a club soda for herself knowing her stomach wouldn't be able to handle much on top of the champagne cocktails. Meredith gave George a fifty and told him to get whatever he and Izzie wanted too.

"So, a hand signal and you know what Karev wants now?" George tried to sound casual, instead of jealous.

"I did this time, anyway," Meredith answered complacently, ignoring his squishiness, "Thank you so much for getting all that, George, my feet need a break from the heels."

Cristina plopped gracelessly in the chair next to Meredith. Her beautiful white dress spread around her outspread legs in gorgeous, expensive folds.

"Hey, Burke had an emergency, but he wouldn't let me scrub in because of that stupid eighty hour limit rule," she griped, "Could one of you give me a ride home? George, if Mer's buying drinks, I'll have another champagne cocktail, okay?"

George gave Cristina a disgruntled look and then hurried away to do Meredith's bidding. Cristina and Meredith had a private moment together to catch up with each other. They laughed over Burke's wonderful old fashioned sense of etiquette that he insisted Cristina obey. The song ended and Alex and Izzie rejoined them at their table.

"What's with you two? Haven't you had enough tippy toeing yet?" Cristina asked.

"No, Alex and I are staying to the end," Meredith said firmly, "Right, Alex?"

"Yes, Cinderella, were staying even if you've already lost both shoes," he said, noticing that she'd slipped out of her heels.

She giggled and wiggled her relieved toes.

George came back carrying a tray with everything on it. Everyone was hungry and thirsty enough not to make any waiter jokes. Meredith breathed a sigh of relief at the lack of discord.

Alex pulled a chair around next to his date and tipped his beer back for a long, cold pull. He thanked Mer with a salute. She winked back at him. He quirked a brow at her drink and when she answered, "Club soda," he nodded, satisfied.

"What is with you two?" George exploded irrationally.

"What?" they asked together.

"You're like... twins, or something."

"...or something," they wryly said together, and then looked at each other and laughed.

"You have gotten way too close to Evil Spawn over the last six weeks, Meredith. That's just not good for you. It is a good thing I'm your BFF. I'll make sure it doesn't get any worse," said Cristina officiously.

Alex looked amused, but Meredith laughed and said, "Aw, Cristina, Alex is sweet. He's genuinely sweet."

Everyone's faces had varying degrees of appalled looks on them, including Alex'.

"Nah, you got that wrong. I'm salty with a heavy dollop of sour, never sweet," he grinned his beautiful sweet smile at her.

Meredith smiled back at him and said nothing. He was wrong. Alex had an incredibly sweet side that he hid most of the time. She knew that she and Izzie were probably the only people to ever see it. She liked Alex. It was so cool to be on an actual date with someone she knew fairly well and trusted. This was such a rare thing in her life.

Alex put his beer aside and leaned into the table, "You want sweet, it's Izzie. She's sweet and creamy and fruity and vanilla with a punch of pepper sauce, just to liven her up. She's dessert."

Izzie didn't quite know how to take that, but Meredith and George smiled.

"And you, Genie Eyes," Alex had a devilish grin on his face as he turned to Meredith, "you're fusion cuisine. A little of everything all mixed together with crunchy veggies into a delicious taste all its own," Alex let his eyes heat as he remembered holding her all night.

Alex paused as he and George helped themselves to the chicken wings and cheese. Both of them felt starved as usual.

Meredith ignored the food and shook her head at her naughty partner, "So tell us, oh tasty one, what's Cristina?"

"Stale, half and half bitter and sour, with a dash of pepper and a dash of salt – an acquired taste," he grinned evilly, "you asked."

"Thanks," said Cristina sarcastically, secretly pleased at the assessment, "and George?"

"Plums, prunes, prune cake. Pepto Bismol, Ex-lax, Kaopectate. All that stuff that relieves in both directions. You know," Alex waved his long neck wickedly at George.

"Alex!" came from Izzie and Meredith, who both wanted to laugh, but didn't. They both knew that Alex was still telling his truth.

"Yeah, I get your point," said Cristina looking at George speculatively.

"Karev, eat dirt, like the worm you are," said George defensively.

Alex laughed, glad he'd gotten a rise out of old Georgie, "Then, you say, Meredith. What's O'Malley's flavor?"

Meredith considered George for a minute and then said, "He's sticky melting cherry popsicles and rum raisin ice cream."

"He's also white rice and white bread," added Cristina.

"He's meat and potatoes," said Izzie, unable to resist joining in, "Nothing wrong with that."

"Okay, okay, enough!" muttered George, "Izzie, would you like to dance?"

"Sure, George," Izzie stood and stepped away with him.

The orchestra played a run of slow pieces at the end of the night. Meredith's shoes had rubbed her feet raw in two places. She'd slipped them off and didn't bother putting them back on to keep dancing. It lowered her height so when Alex snuggled her close and just swayed her, her head fit perfectly under his chin. Meredith felt happy and warm. She'd had a great time, full of fun and friends and music and dancing. She and Alex were the last ones in their group still here. Not many hospital personnel remained, she thought drowsily. Good thing. It was a good thing Derek and his She were gone. She was way more relaxed.

The dance with Derek had not dampened her enthusiasm for the ball at all. In fact the dance with him had topped it off. Meredith had danced with Derek. Her fantasy prince had held her and hadn't wanted to leave her. She'd felt his love and regret, even though he'd never admitted it. Then she'd moved on with Mr. Sandage and it had barely hurt. Okay, it hurt, but not devastatingly. Meredith was getting better. She'd had so much fun with Alex and the others that it carried her through. She'd also made it through without ever having to deal with the Adder or the He-She together. That made her very happy.

Pleasantly tired, Meredith smiled and turned her face into Alex' throat. He smelled delicious. He smelled all warm man, and was that an Armani scent? Mm. His familiar arms around her made her feel safe and comfortable. She relaxed to the music and gave him more of her slight weight. She lifted her arms higher around his neck and sighed contentedly, blowing warm, moist breath across his sensitive throat. He shuddered.

"Meredith, remember I'm your pretend boyfriend. If you do much more of that it won't be pretend for much longer, Angel Eyes."

"Okay," she murmured and snuggled closer, closing her eyes.

"Whoa, dude, was that 'okay' you'll stop, or 'okay' no more pretense!?" Alex pulled away slightly and looked down into Mer's pretty face. He didn't know which way he wanted her to answer, really. He knew she'd had a few drinks, but not too many. Meredith and he had a great friendship. He didn't want to screw it up. He winced at his own pun.

"Alex, sh," Meredith studied his beautiful, chiseled mouth just above her own. She tightened her hands behind his head and drew him closer.

"Meredith, we're playing with fire..." Alex was surprised at how disappointed he felt when Mer tucked her face away under his chin again, murmuring that she knew he was right.

"Aw, Genie Eyes, let's burn."

Alex found her pretty, pouty lips with his own, in a sweet, soft, lovely kiss, while swaying to the music, that left them both longing for more. Alex turned his head and pinned hers against his shoulder. He shifted her so that he could hold her closer. She parted her lips and welcomed his tongue firmly penetrating the moist cavern of her mouth. Her head whirled with pleasure. His kiss was so sweet and so darkly male. Not sloppy or too hard. Her eyes closed in bliss as he deepened the kiss. Evidence of Alex' interest grew against her tummy. Meredith pulled partially away and looked up into her partner's eyes.

"We could," she stated, misty eyed and flushed pink.

"Yes, we could," he acknowledged, his lips moist and red.

"It wouldn't suck," she asked and stated at the same time, panting slightly.

"No, it wouldn't suck, or maybe it would suck the good kind of sucking," his smile was both naughty and sad on his handsome face.

She touched a mock fist to his chin for that.

"It could be..." she started and then stopped.

"You're right..." he knew it.

"But..." she said, regretfully.

"But..." he agreed, regretfully.

"Derek. You?"

"Izzie."

"Yeah."

"Yep."

They stopped dancing and she stepped out of his arms. He held his hand to her and they left the floor hand in hand, better friends than they'd been when they'd entered it.

"Thank you, Alex," Meredith said sincerely, "I had such a great time tonight."

She gave a skip beside him.

"I did too, Meredith. Somehow, I don't think we'd have had as much fun afterwards, if I'd won the Race," he wryly grimaced at her. She laughed and nodded. It was time to head home.

Alex turned in their claim checks for their coats, and held Meredith's vintage mink jacket for her to slip on. He slid into his own overcoat and held out a hand. She clasped his hand and swung it between them as they walked to the car. The personal space between them was smooth, easy, and quiet while Alex drove towards Meredith's mom's house.

Alex walked Meredith to her door.

"Meredith, I had a great time with you these past six weeks, and that kiss knocked my socks off. I want you to know, that even if the timing just isn't right for either of us, I _am_ interested. If ever you and I are free at the same time, I'd like to see what could happen between us," Alex paused to see what affect his words were having.

Meredith reached up and softly kissed his perfect lips and then his cheeks.

"You are one of the best experiences I've ever had with a man, Alex Karev. I want you to know that. And I'll remember what you've said. In the meantime, good night, be free, leave me, no more fee. Alex, I am your friend. And... I love you."

_**Thank you, samsolace **_


End file.
